Last year, NFU Mutual data showed that livestock rustling across Devon and Cornwall remained lucrative for criminal gangs, as £2.4 million worth of livestock was stolen across the UK in 2021. Although in recent years the frequency of rustling, along with other rural crimes in the South West has decreased, the Police and NFU Mutual warn that factors such as the soaring cost of food and criminals ‘making up for lost time’ after the pandemic could lead to a spike in cases.
